June 2016 Stanford, California
Six long years of cramming for exams, drinking endless cups of coffee, Red Bull, and any other caffeinated sugar-packed drink; the endless study groups and all-nighters were finally coming to an end. Muki, Larry, Judith, and Abdul were reaching the promised land—G R A D U A T I O N!
* * *
The four accidentally met during a concert their freshmen year in L.A. back in 2010. They, like one hundred thousand other kids and adults (wanting to relive their past teen years once more) packed the Coliseum for the “Final Rites Tour” of The Who, Stones, Steppenwolf and Pink Floyd. There would be special guest appearances during the concert, but those groups were kept under wraps. The media billed it as the largest concert ever to hit the Pacific shores. Tickets started at $100 and went as high as $20,000. The event would start at 6:00pm in the evening, and stop when the applause and encores died down. They were crammed in like sardines and even though the music was great, it was their parent’s music (all but Muki). They just wanted to say, “they were there.” It would make a terrific story for the kids when they decided to start families. But that was the furthest thought from their minds right now; their bodies were surrounded by music, while their brains were deep in studies.
After talking with each other for a few hours, they were fascinated at the striking similarities they shared. Their dreams and ambitions were mirrors of each other. The bond they formed that night would take them through the gates of education and into the world of commerce. They agreed that until all obtained an advanced degree, the first graduation was only for the kids who promised mom and dad they’d get a degree, then a job. They knew this was a lie. Most of the kids would wind up working for mom or dad and continue living at home while they decided what they really wanted to accomplish with their lives. Not this bunch. They would pursue master’s degrees. Until that time, the only celebrating would be the occasional night out for a few drinks and recreation. Otherwise, they would ramrod their studies to the finish line. Oh, one other important item, they would have to have double master’s majors. Obtaining just a bachelor’s degree was considered child’s play. Muki chose Electronics and History. Larry—Computer Science/Civil Engineering. Judith decided on Math/Thermodynamics, and Abdul took Physics/Chemistry. On the night, Muki, Larry, Judith and Abdul forged an academic alliance.
Muki Nguyen came from a very humble family. Her mother stayed home taking care of the children, while her father supplied the American-backed government with a daily supply of fish. As the fledgling army of South Vietnam rapidly deteriorated, her father knew what would happen if his family fell into the hands of the communist aggressors—death. He would be found guilty of helping the Americans, and thus labeled a traitor and assigned for re-education. The rest of the family would either be assigned to re-education camps, sent to brothels in the north, or the final indignity—a bullet to the head.
Her family became unwitting celebrities when their picture was placed on the cover of Time Magazine during the mass exodus from Vietnam. The fall of Saigon forced many to either flee the country, or hope the Communist government of Ho Chi Minh would show leniency. That was unlikely. Her parents brought all the possessions they could carry to the docks, hoping to find a junk that would allow them passage to the United States and away from war-torn Vietnam.
The captain of the boat took everything they owned, but the price wasn’t enough. He demanded that Muki’s mother satisfy him on the long, treacherous journey. The family had no choice—rape by submission, or death by Ho Chi Minh. Her father convinced his wife she would be saving them from certain death; her acts would not bring shame upon the family. When they reached the Promised Land, they would find the nearest priest, and she would be cleansed of her sins.
